State’s case continues in trial of woman's slaying

Nickey Yates is escorted by Onslow County sheriff’s deputies in Superior Court Wednesday morning on the second day of trial. Yates' charges include first-degree murder in connection with the slaying of Linda Hulsman in 2010 at her Jacksonville home.

John Althouse / The Daily News

By CHRISTOPHER THOMAS Daily News Staff

Published: Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 10:00 AM.

Yates, 22, is accused of strangling Linda Hulsman and stealing prescription pills from her East Red Oak Court, Jacksonville home on Nov. 1, 2010. His charges included first-degree murder, according to Daily News archives.

In his testimony, Evans outlined the forensic investigation — of which he was in charge — at the victim’s house.

Hulsman’s living room and adjacent master bedroom, Evans said, were scenes of “chaos” and “total disarray” as Hulsman’s mattress was off its bed spring, the end table next to the sofa was overturned and pill bottles were found throughout the house and near the victim’s body.

Wednesday, before afternoon recess, there was a dispute between the state and the defense over the inclusion of evidence not presented by the DA’s office. Scott Jack of Jacksonville, Yates’ attorney, said he wanted to point out what the sheriff’s office declined to do during the investigation and that the DNA evidence found at the scene proved his client’s innocence.

Yates, 22, is accused of strangling Linda Hulsman and stealing prescription pills from her East Red Oak Court, Jacksonville home on Nov. 1, 2010. His charges included first-degree murder, according to Daily News archives.

In his testimony, Evans outlined the forensic investigation — of which he was in charge — at the victim’s house.

Hulsman’s living room and adjacent master bedroom, Evans said, were scenes of “chaos” and “total disarray” as Hulsman’s mattress was off its bed spring, the end table next to the sofa was overturned and pill bottles were found throughout the house and near the victim’s body.

Wednesday, before afternoon recess, there was a dispute between the state and the defense over the inclusion of evidence not presented by the DA’s office. Scott Jack of Jacksonville, Yates’ attorney, said he wanted to point out what the sheriff’s office declined to do during the investigation and that the DNA evidence found at the scene proved his client’s innocence.

“My client’s DNA was excluded from everything they tested,” Jack said. “My client’s life is on the line.”

After recess, it was decided the defense could ask questions pertaining to the prosecution’s undisclosed evidence — which, however, was denied admission as evidence in this trial.

After Evans’ testimony, two forensics experts from the state’s crime lab in Raleigh were called by the prosecution.

Kristen Crawford, a hair analyst, said the hair found at the scene excluded Yates. A colleague from Raleigh, DNA Expert Jody West, also said his research excluded Yates.

In addition, Onslow County Sheriff’s deputies Jeff Eason and Bruce Dixon took the stand to round out the day’s proceedings. Eason said he responded to a call from Hulsman about 2:30 a.m. Oct. 31, 2010, saying Yates wouldn’t leave her front porch because of a dispute over drugs. Dixon said a similar call came to him later that morning at 10:30 a.m.

According to Dixon, Yates claimed Hulsman owed him $300 for an Oxycodone prescription, saying she never gave him the prescription drugs or the money.

The day’s proceedings ended about 5 p.m. and trial is scheduled to continue 9:30 a.m. today in Onslow County Superior Court.

Christopher Thomas is a staff writer at The Daily News. Contact him at 910-219-8473 or Christopher.Thomas@JDNews.com.